


not like any other regular

by sxftmelody



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Barista AU, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 14:49:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15367005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sxftmelody/pseuds/sxftmelody
Summary: “We should do this again (…) preferably when I’m not mourning my dead fish.”





	not like any other regular

**Author's Note:**

> i give you all This as an apology for 'purple.'

Jungeun meets her on a busy Monday morning. 

 

At first, Jungeun doesn’t think much of the blonde girl because she’s too busy taking and preparing people’s orders to fully register the girl’s beauty—but once she is standing in front of Jungeun  **and** making eye contact with her, Jungeun feels the tips of her ears warm up.

 

“One medium white hot chocolate without whipped cream, please,” the girl orders with a small smile. Jungeun thinks there’s a dimple there and before she can really notice it, her eyes flutter down to the cash register, body moving on auto-pilot as she inputs the order and calls out the money due.

 

It takes all of Jungeun’s willpower not to drop the money the girl hands to her. After giving her the change, she grabs a cup from her left and uncaps the marker in her breast pocket.

 

“Name?” she asks, looking up at the girl.

 

“Jinsoul.”

 

—

 

Jungeun sees Jinsoul nearly every day after that; some days it’s too busy and Jungeun only notices her once she’s at the front of the line. Other days, Jungeun notices her as soon as she enters the cafe’s front door. 

 

Each and every time their eyes meet, Jinsoul gives Jungeun a smile that paints her cheeks pink and forces her eyes to fall to her feet. She orders the same thing every day; a medium white hot chocolate with no whipped cream, and by the third day, Jungeun simply grabs a cup from her side before Jinsoul can even say anything.

 

(Jungeun doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal. She does this with a lot of regulars.)

 

(Then again, no other regular causes Jungeun’s heart to race as much as Jinsoul does.)

 

—

 

Jinsoul usually comes alone and settles herself comfortable at a table for two in the far back corner. A sleek white laptop is usually placed in front of her with a textbook and a notebook nearby. When Jinsoul isn’t staring down at her laptop, eyebrows furrowed in concentration and a pen lodged between her teeth, she’s staring outside the window and dozing off. 

 

Jungeun’s caught her head drooping down multiple times and has actually seen Jinsoul fully knocked out, using her textbook as a pillow. It’s brought a small smile to her lips and a shake of her head every time. Jungeun doesn’t have the guts to ever go over and wake the girl up—and she doesn’t have to, because her co-worker, Haseul, is apparently close friends with Jinsoul.

 

(It seems like she’s more like a mother, but Jungeun doesn’t comment on it.)

 

Haseul wakes Jinsoul up when she dozes off and chides her for being so sleep-deprived. Jungeun watches the scene happen from behind the counter and feels her heart skip a beat whenever Jinsoul’s tired eyes would travel over to hers, pouting lips (made from Haseul’s scolding) slowly pulling up into a smile at their eye contact.

 

Jungeun’s eyes, per usual, would drop down to her lap and away from Jinsoul’s twinkling ones. 

 

—

 

It’s a Friday night when Jungeun’s just about to close up the cafe. Haseul had gone home earlier because there had been a family emergency and the two of them would usually close up together. 

 

Jungeun hasn’t seen Jinsoul in a couple days and she’s had half the nerve to ask Haseul if something had happened to the blonde girl, but she’d always wimp out. 

 

However, when the door opens at nine and the bells chime, Jungeun looks up to meet eyes with a very somber looking Jinsoul. Her eyes are a little red, as if she’d been crying, and her skin seems paler than usual. Jungeun feels her stomach drop as Jinsoul doesn’t bother going up to the counter and, instead, heads straight towards her usual table.

 

_ Now or never. _

 

Jungeun starts making Jinsoul’s order, opting to make a small instead of a medium because she doesn’t want to give the blonde girl  **too** much caffeine at such a time. Blueberry muffin in one hand and white hot chocolate in another, Jungeun walks around the counter and walks towards Jinsoul, who’s staring out the window with a blank look on her face.

 

Jungeun shuffles forward and places the muffin and drink in front of Jinsoul, making the girl snap out of her daze and look up at Jungeun.

 

Jungeun offers a small smile and Jinsoul looks at her confusedly.

 

“I… I didn’t pay,” she says weakly, throat scratchy.

 

Jungeun shakes her head and scrunches up her nose, “On the house.”

 

When Jinsoul just stares at her, Jungeun feels the nervousness creeping up on her again.

 

“Tell me if you need anything else,” she says quietly and turns to walk back to the counter.

 

“Wait,” Jinsoul calls out. Jungeun pauses and turns around, watching as Jinsoul gestures to the seat across from her, “Sit?”

 

Jungeun wants to say she still has to clean up the kitchen and take account the amount of money in the cash register, but something in Jinsoul’s eyes makes her throw those thoughts out of the window and sit down. 

 

Jungeun bites her lip, “Is everything alright?” she asks softly.

 

“My fish died.”

 

Jungeun blinks, “What?”

 

“My fish, Blue, he died,” Jinsoul says as she taps her finger against the lid of her drink, “I got him when I first started college and he died just before the final exams of my last year.”

 

“Oh,” Jungeun replies, “I’m sorry about that.”

 

Jinsoul lets out a small laugh, embarrassed, “You probably think I’m nuts for crying over a fish—”

 

“ _ Not at all _ ,” Jungeun cuts her off and shakes her head, feeling her heart start to beat faster as Jinsoul looks at her with wide eyes, “if anything—”

 

Jungeun cuts herself off before the next words can come out. Jinsoul raises an expectant eyebrow.

 

“If anything…” she trails off, waiting for Jungeun to finish her sentence.

 

Jungeun takes a deep breath, “If anything, I think it makes you more endearing.”

 

She breaks eye contact after saying the last word, cheeks pink and hands clammy.

 

“You’re really cute, you know that?”

 

Jungeun looks up in surprise, heart fluttering when she’s greeted by Jinsoul’s smile. Jinsoul brings her cup up to her lips and takes a small sip before pointing to the muffin.

 

“Help me eat this?” Jinsoul asks, “I’d feel bad if you didn’t. I mean, I didn’t even  _ pay  _ for it.”

 

“I… Uh…” Jungeun stammers, “Okay.”

 

A giggle and Jungeun feels her whole face flame up.

 

As they share the blueberry muffin, Jinsoul eases Jungeun into conversation comfortably—and it shocks Jungeun at how easy it is to talk to the other girl.

 

( _ “Easy” _ based off of a relative standpoint—Jungeun’s heart still races a mile a minute every time Jinsoul laughs and her ears still turn red whenever their hands brush against each other’s—but it’s still all so  **natural** .)

 

She learns that Jinsoul’s a biology major, hoping to branch into the marine biology field. She also learns that Jinsoul’s only a couple years older than her (she’s the same age as Haseul) and goes to the university nearby. On the flip side, Jungeun tells Jinsoul that she’s taking a break from school to focus on earning enough money to hopefully be able to go in the upcoming years. 

 

When Jinsoul asks Jungeun if she knows what to study, she answers quietly, “Astronomy.”

 

Jinsoul smiles, making the nerves inside of Jungeun loosen  _ and  _ tense up at the same time, “Astronomy. That seems interesting. Have you always wanted to become an astronomer?”

 

Jungeun feels her lips curling up into an unconscious smile as she nods, “Yeah. I’ve loved looking up at the stars ever since I was little.”

 

Jinsoul watches Jungeun speak, chin resting on the palm of her hands, eyes focused on the younger girl. When Jungeun stammers and struggles to form coherent sentences, Jinsoul just smiles and nods, patiently waiting for the girl to gather her thoughts without making it seem condescending. 

 

Jungeun’s never been one for talking much (let alone about  **herself** ) but with Jinsoul’s anticipating gaze and pink lips curled up in a smile, it makes Jungeun  **want** to speak.

 

-

 

Jinsoul’s phone vibrates a few times during their conversation, but Jungeun simply watches the older girl turn her phone’s ringer off and slide it off to the side before continuing to give Jungeun her full attention.

 

They talk for nearly three hours before Jinsoul gasps after checking the time.

 

“I kept you back so late! Oh gosh, I’m sorry!” she says, apologizing multiple times afterwards, “I didn’t even realize!”

 

“It’s okay,” Jungeun grins, picking up the muffin wrapper and cleaning the crumbs off the table, “I don’t have much to do.”

 

She actually has  **a lot** to do, but she won’t let Jinsoul know that.

 

“Can I at least keep you company until you finish up? God, I feel so bad,” Jinsoul asks sheepishly as she throws away her empty cup and follows Jungeun up to the counter.

 

“Sure,” Jungeun nods. 

 

As tired as she is, she’s glad to see that Jinsoul isn’t looking so sad anymore. 

 

Jinsoul watches as Jungeun counts the money in the cash register (and it makes Jungeun have to stop and recount multiple times because  **it’s hard to focus** when she’s  **right there** ) and she watches as Jungeun washes up the counters.

 

“Are you walking home?” Jinsoul asks as she holds the door open for Jungeun.

 

Jungeun starts to lock up the cafe before nodding, “My apartment building is just around the corner.”

 

“Ah, I brought my car…” Jinsoul trails off, raising her eyebrows, “Let me give you a ride. It’s the least I can do to pay you back.”

 

Jungeun is about to decline the offer because her apartment really is  _ just around the corner _ , but then Jinsoul bites down on her lower lip nervously, and that’s all it takes for Jungeun to give in.

 

Jinsoul opens the passenger door for Jungeun and Jungeun smiles shyly. The car ride is silent save for the radio playing in the background. Jinsoul hums along to the various songs, fingers tapping against the steering wheel. Jungeun has to remind herself not to stare for  **too long** or else it’d get weird and, even though it’s been only a day, she  **really** likes Jinsoul’s company and would rather not scare her away.

 

“We should do this again,” Jinsoul says suddenly as they turn into Jungeun’s street, “preferably when I’m not mourning my dead fish and when you’re not on a shift.”

 

Jungeun smiles and nods, “We should.”

 

Jinsoul unpockets her phone and hands it to Jungeun, “Then, you wouldn’t mind if I ask you for your number?”

 

—

 

When Jinsoul first calls Jungeun, Jungeun’s sat at her small kitchen table waiting for the hot water to boil so she can eat instant ramen. The notification scares her and she panics momentarily because  _ she is so not ready for a video call _ and rushes to tidy up the mess that is her hair, pulling it up into a bun and trying to make herself as presentable as she can.

 

She answers the call and is greeted by Jinsoul’s smile. She stands the phone up against a candle.

 

“I thought you weren’t going to pick up for a moment there,” Jinsoul says with a nervous laugh. She’s sat at a desk with glasses on, notes scattered in front of her, “Sorry for calling out of nowhere.”

 

“Oh, it’s okay,” Jungeun shakes her head, trying to keep calm because Jinsoul is  **really pretty** .

 

The nervous grin on Jinsoul’s face grows as she moves a bit closer to the phone, “What are you doing right now?”

 

Jungeun looks over to the pot on the stove, “Waiting for my water to boil so I can eat ramen.”

 

“Chicken or beef?” Jinsoul asks.

 

“Beef,” Jungeun replies.

 

Jinsoul makes a face, scrunching up her nose, “I suddenly have to go.”

 

Jungeun laughs, “That’s not fair. Beef was the only one I had. My roommate eats all the chicken!”

 

Jinsoul narrows her eyes, “I’ll let it slide because you’re cute.”

 

Jungeun laughs again, but not without a blush on her cheeks. The pot whistles and Jungeun goes to get up. She hears Jinsoul’s voice call out.

 

“I’m supposed to be studying for, you know, my finals,” she says, “but I’m having a hard time focusing.”

 

Jungeun sits down in front of the phone with a bowl in front of her, “And you thought calling  **me** would help you focus?”

 

“No, I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus,” Jinsoul grins, “I just figured I should **at least** _enjoy_ procrastinating.”

 

Jungeun shakes her head to hide the shyness creeping up on her, “You’re ridiculous.”

 

“I know.”

 

—

 

When Jungeun isn’t working, she’s on the phone with Jinsoul. Usually the video calls just consist of Jinsoul studying and Jungeun doing her own thing on the other side of the phone, but it’s become a regular thing between the two of them. And if they aren’t calling, they’re texting. Jinsoul sends various pictures of cute animals and Jungeun usually replies with:

 

**Shouldn’t you be studying?**

 

Which would then be followed by a :

 

**let me show a cute girl pictures of cute animals, would you?**

 

And Jungeun would have to pocket her phone for a few minutes to calm the racer that was her heart.

 

—

 

It’s flirting. It’s  **for sure** flirting.

 

Now, Jungeun doesn’t have a lot of experience in this department, so she  **might** be wrong—but she’s pretty sure what they’re doing right now (and for the past two months or so) is flirting.

 

And as flustered as Jungeun gets whenever Jinsoul calls her cute or pretty, it’s nothing compared to the first time Jungeun’s flirted  **back** .

 

_ (“Stars interest you, right?” Jinsoul asks as they sit on Jungeun’s couch with a random Netflix movie playing in the background, “Do you prefer to study planets or stars?” _

 

_ “Planets,” Jungeun responds, urging herself to say the next words that come to mind. _

 

_ “Why is that?” _

 

_ “I don’t need to study stars,” Jungeun mumbles. _

 

_ “Why not?” Jinsoul questions. _

 

_ “Because I already have you,” _

 

_ Jinsoul blinks and stares wide-eyed at Jungeun before she buries her face in her hands and squeals. Jungeun kicks her softly with her foot at the overreaction. _

 

_ “I can’t believe you just said that!”) _

 

And  **maybe** they’re already technically dating because they’ve gone out multiple times together and have  **maybe** held hands on multiple occasions and have  **maybe** kissed each other’s cheeks (Jinsoul kissed Jungeun’s cheek and caused the younger girl’s whole face to erupt in flames)  **but** , nothing’s  _ official _ .

 

Jungeun isn’t sure how one does that whole ‘official dating’ thing but she thinks she and Jinsoul are  _ pretty good _ at it.

 

—

 

“Hello?” Jungeun answers the phone and is greeted by a nasty-sounding cough.

 

“ _ Jungeunnie _ ,” Jinsoul calls out with a whiny tone, Jungeun can imagine the pout on her lips, “I don’t think I can make it to our date today.”

 

“Oh,” Jungeun’s disappointment is quickly masked with concern, “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

 

“Unfortunately,” Jinsoul coughs, “I really wanted to go out with you today.”

 

Jungeun goes to put on a jacket, holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, “Don’t worry about it. Hey, I’ll pick up some soup for you. Do you have medicine at your apartment?”

 

“Yeah, I do,” Jinsoul’s voice comes through the receiver weakly, “You don’t have to.”

 

“I want to,” Jungeun replies easily, “I’ll be there in about an hour.”

 

-

 

Jinsoul’s roommate opens the door for her and smiles. Ha Sooyoung is a nice girl, even if her teasing can be relentless at some points.

 

“Your girl is currently in her room,” she laughs, “I’m glad you’re here, to be honest. I didn’t want to leave her alone like this.”

 

Jungeun doesn’t bother correcting the ‘your girl’ part of Sooyoung’s sentence (she’s used to it, though the blush on her cheek might say otherwise) and grins, “Thanks.”

 

“Call me if you need anything,” Sooyoung says as she slips on her shoes. Jungeun hums and Sooyoung leaves.

 

“Jinsoul, I’m here,” Jungeun calls out as she walks down the hallway, knocking twice on the girl’s door before opening it.

 

Jinsoul’s bundled up in her blankets, face hidden behind the comforter.

 

Jungeun sets the soup down on the bedside desk and sits at the edge of the bed, pulling down the blanket so she can see Jinsoul’s face.

 

“How are you feeling?” Jungeun asks, hand going up to check Jinsoul’s temperature.

 

“Horrible,” Jinsoul grumbles.

 

“Have you eaten yet?” Jungeun questions. Jinsoul shakes her head.

 

“Okay, get up,” Jungeun says softly as Jinsoul groans.

 

“I don’t wanna,” she whines as Jungeun pushes the blanket further down and attempts to get Jinsoul to sit up.

 

“Jinsoul, you have to eat,” Jungeun says with a firmer tone, hands pulling at Jinsoul’s arms and trying to get her to sit up. Jinsoul sits up for half-a-second and when Jungeun lets go of her arms, she falls back down.

 

“ _ Noooo _ !” Jinsoul whines.

 

Jungeun sighs and leans forward, resting her hands on top of Jinsoul’s shoulders, “Please? For me?”

 

Jinsoul blinks before pouting and getting up, “That’s a low blow.”

 

Jungeun grins and goes to get the soup, “How so?”

 

When she’s situated back on the bed next to Jinsoul, she’s greeted by the same pouty lips.

 

“I’d do anything for you,” Jinsoul mumbles.

 

Jungeun feels her heart flip as she chuckles, getting a spoonful of soup for Jinsoul, “Say ‘ah’,” she says, holding out the spoon to Jinsoul’s lips.

 

“What am I? A baby?” Jinsoul grumbles, though she does move forward to take the spoon into her mouth. She narrows her eyes at Jungeun before the younger girl can say anything, “Don’t even say ‘you’re  _ my _ baby’.”

 

Jungeun laughs and continues to spoon-feed her girlfriend-but-not-official-girlfriend.

 

—

 

The way they officialize their relationship is kind of lackluster.

 

Jungeun’s waiting for Jinsoul to get back with their food from the vendor when a man comes up to her and starts to ask for her number, flirting with her. Jungeun doesn’t see Jinsoul behind her when she says:

 

“Ah, actually, I’m here with my girlfriend.”

 

When Jinsoul sets the food down at the table and sits next to her, Jungeun forgets about the man completely (he leaves after being ignored) because Jinsoul’s smile is wide and bright and after nearly four months it still makes Jungeun’s heart go wild.

 

“Girlfriend, huh?”

 

Jungeun tries to play it off, tries not to seem as embarrassed as she is, “It’s what we are, no?”

 

Jinsoul just kisses her cheek and laughs.

 

So, they’re official.

 

—

 

As far as first kisses go, Jungeun thinks Jinsoul’s takes the top spot. 

 

(And she’s not just saying that because Jinsoul  _ is _ her first kiss.)

 

-

 

It’s around the holidays when Jinsoul practically barges into Jungeun’s apartment and announces they’re going Christmas shopping so they can decorate the place. 

 

At first, Jungeun’s kind of sad that her roommate, Jiwoo, is visiting family for the holidays because she would’ve  **loved** decorating the apartment, but seeing Jinsoul so excited to do so makes up for it.

 

When they get back from shopping, bags in hand, Jinsoul’s quick to explain what she has in mind.

 

“I think we can string up these lights over there,” she gestures with her hands, “and put the tree right  **there** ,” more gestures, “and we can attach the little ornaments we got on the tree and then—”

 

Jinsoul stops mid-sentence, meeting Jungeun’s adoring eyes. She pouts, “You’re not listening, are you?”

 

Jungeun shakes her head and then she nods, “No! I am, I am.”

 

“You’re  _ not _ ,” Jinsoul whines cutely, moving closer to Jungeun, “This is important business!”

 

The younger girl can’t help the smile that spreads across her face as she feels Jinsoul’s arms come to wrap around her waist, “I’m listening, I’m listening. You’re just too cute.”

 

They’ve been in this position many times, usually just to hug and hold each other, but when their eyes meet and Jungeun  **feels** Jinsoul’s breath hitch, there’s a totally different feeling.

 

“I’m listening,” Jungeun repeats quietly with a small smile.

 

Jinsoul’s pout disappears and she looks at Jungeun with furrowed eyebrows.

 

“As you were saying?” Jungeun raises an eyebrow, “Lights over there, tree over there, ornaments—”

 

“ **_Okay_ ** , enough about the decorations,” Jinsoul cuts her off, leaning forward to capture Jungeun’s lips.

 

Their teeth clink because they’re laughing and smiling into the kiss and it’s sort of a mess, but Jungeun wouldn’t want it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are always appreciated <3


End file.
